Deputies hook three in fishing pole thefts

In two separate cases, investigators reeled in three men Friday who stole fishing poles from East Naples stores, Collier sheriff's deputies said.

In the first case, two men smuggled five fishing poles out of a hardware store through a 10-foot PVC pipe, deputies said. David Edward Nichols, 35, of the 7300 block of St. Ives Way, East Naples, and Alexander Corzo, 45, of the 200 block of Burnt Pine Drive, North Naples, face grand theft charges related to the case.

Deputies were tipped off to Nichols and another man hiding five fishing poles valued at about $1,300 inside a pipe with caps on both ends at Sunshine Ace Hardware on Rattlesnake Hammock Road, an arrest report said. The pipe remained hidden behind and under clothing in the store until Nichols and Corzo took it from the store at about 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Deputies conducting surveillance at the hardware store waited until Nichols and Corzo left the parking lot, then made an arrest during a traffic stop, the report said.

In the second case, deputies said Jeremy Bonaquidi, 41, of the 100 block of San Salvador Street, Marco Island, stole two fishing poles valued at $317 from an East Naples Wal-Mart.

Bonaquidi bought food from the Wal-Mart, then went back through the store, picked up the poles, put them in his cart and walked out without paying, an arrest report said.